Greenland Connect North will provide a 680 km extension of the existing Greenland Connect-1 system, enhancing affordable high-speed broadband services in Greenland for consumers and businesses.

Paris, France, September 28, 2016

TELE-POST, part of the TELE Greenland A/S group – wholly owned by the Government of Greenland, and Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (ASN), part of Nokia, have signed a turnkey contract for the implementation of a new submarine cable system, named Greenland Connect North, which will extend affordable high-speed Internet access to the northern part of the country.

Greenland Connect North will interconnect the cities of Nuuk, Maniitsoq, Sisimiut and Aasiaat, bridging the digital divide in an area where bandwidth is currently still limited. With a design capacity in excess of 4.4 terabit-per-second on the intercity links, Greenland Connect North will contribute to strengthening broadband communications for 20,000 citizens in the northern part of Greenland, a third of the country’s population.

Stine Bosse, Chairman of the TELE-POST Board, said: “The new submarine cable system is part of a larger project, the Northwest program, which will enable us to further enhance the delivery of advanced services more cost-effectively. ASN’s expertise will help us deliver improved communication services for education and healthcare, as well as spurring economic development by empowering local businesses.”

Philippe Piron, President of Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks said: “This contract further strengthens our collaboration with TELE-POST as we help them open up new service and application opportunities for Greenland’s users. The GreenlandConnect North project will benefit from ASN’s extensive experience of operating in polar regions, addressing the unique challenges associated with installation and navigation in the arctic environment.”

The new 680 km system will further extend the reach of the existing submarine infrastructure which connects Greenland to Newfoundland and Iceland over 4,600 km.

ASN’s expertise builds on a long-standing experience of deploying submarine cable systems in severe marine environments. ASN has gained and continues to expand its knowledge base as it pioneers submarine cable system installation in these more challenging regions where planning for potential ice and the exceptionally dynamic conditions demand specialist insight.

ABOUT TELE-POST Behind TELE-POST is the TELE Greenland A/S group, wholly owned by the Government of Greenland and providing telecommunications, IT and postal services to a population of 56,000 inhabitants scattered over thousands of kilometres. TELE Greenland A/S employs approximately 460 staff and is headquartered in Nuuk.

ABOUT ALCATEL-LUCENT SUBMARINE NETWORKS Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks, part of Nokia, leads the industry in terms of capacity and installed base with more than 580,000 km of optical submarine cables/systems deployed worldwide. From traditional telecom to new oil and gas applications, ASN provides all parts of a global submarine transmission network, all tailored to the customer’s needs. An extensive service portfolio completes its comprehensive offering for the submarine networks business, including project management, installation, commissioning, as well as marine operations and maintenance performed by its fleet of seven cable ships.